Portable bath for physiological heat treatment



N v. 17, 1964 J. E. MOORE ETAL PORTABLE BATH FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL HEAT TREATMENT Filed Oct. 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Y 6 M mmw 6m W MT W A M k o n MA Nov. 17, 1964 J. E. MOORE ETAL 3,157,774

PORTABLE BATH FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL HEAT TREATMENT Filed Oct. 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/AA INVENTOR$ Jack E. Moore BY Ann MOOPG A T'TORNEY United States Patent m gm 0,1.2/ BATH a LQ GEQAL 9 2 (Cl. era-492s This invention relates to heat treatment baths, and is more particularly concerned with an improved, portable bath for physiological heat treatment.

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior application filed May 22, 1961, Serial Number lll,868 now abandoned.

A standard physiological treatment includes the irrmersion of an afflicted limb into a bath of liquid parafiin or other heated liquid. For such treatment, it is necessary to have a rather accurate control over the temperature of the liquid; and, it is further necessary to prevent contact of the patients body with heated surfaces. in addition, it is desirable to allow the patient to be as comfortable as possible, whichmay include the giving of heat treatments in the patients home.

In the past, such baths have been provided; however, most such baths are large and cumbersome and difficult to move around, as to a patients home. Prior art baths have usually included a simple metallic container which is filled with the liquid; and, the container is heated, thereby heating the liquid therein. With such a device, the metallic container is, of course, at a temperature considerably above that of the liquid; hence, if the patient touch "the container, quite serious burns could result.

The temperature of the prior art baths has usual y been controlled by a thermostat, the sensing element of which is attached to the metallic container; or, in the event that there is a heat exchange liquid, the sensing element has been in that heat exchange liquid. Such an arrangement requires much guessing to determine the actual temperature of the treatment liquid.

The bath of the present invention overcomes the abovestated difficulties by providing a double container, one within the other. The outer container is well insulated to prevent burns. The inner container includes a heat insulating liner which precludes the inadvertent touch; 0 of the hot metallic container. A heat exchange liquid is between the inner container and the outer container for gentle heating of the treatment liquid; and, the sensing element for the thermostatic control is located within the inner container and spaced from the metallic wall of the container, thus giving accurate control of the treatm nt liquid itself. The device is easily portable and includes a convenient support for maximum comfort of the patient using thebath.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved heat treatment bath which is easily portable and comfortable to use.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat treatment bath which provides accurate temperature control of the treatment liquid.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a heat treatment bath which precludes skin trauma due to contact with a high temperature surface.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from consideration of the following specification, when taken conjunction with the accompanying rawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cover being shown removed therefrom.

FTGURE 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FTGURE 3 is a partial horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 in PTGURE 1.

FEGURE 4 is a schematic wiring diagram to be use with the embodiment shown.

Referring now particularly to the drawings and to that embodiment of the invention here chosen by way of illustration, the device includes a cabinet it; supported on casters ill. The sides 12 and 14 are provided with handles, as handle 15 for easy carrying. End 16 of the cabinet has mounted thereon a control box 13 to house the controls to be described hereinafter.

The top 19 of the cabinet lll has a central opening 249 to give access to the treatment liquid; and, the opening 2% may be covered, when not in use by cover 21. An insulatin boss on the cover 21 fits into the opening 20 and prevents undue loss of heat when the bath is not in use.

There is located adjacent the opening Ztl, a support 25 on which the upper portion of a persons appendage may re while the lower portion, or outer extremity, is in the bath. The upport is a flat, rectangular piece of material (he e shown as wood) which is adjustably fastened to the cabinet il by straps 26 received on studs 28 and held in place by wing nuts 9.9. The inner edge of the support 25 is pivotably secured to the top 19 of the cabinet by hooks 29 in eyes 3%. The hooks 2% are open so that they can be removed from the eye 3% to remove the support 25 from the cabine and, the cover 2?. is recessed at 32 to receive the eyes e Referring now primarily to PTGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that there is an outer container insulated from the cabinet It) by insulating material 36, which may be rock-wool, fiber glass or other material that can withstand the temperatures involved.

The outer container includes an end wall 33 on which are mounted the controls to be described hereafter. The container 35 is rectangular with the top 39 only partially covering the container. Attached to the inner edges of the top 39 is an inner container 4t), also rectangular, and having an open top.

At one end of the bath, there is a filling hole which extends through the cabinet top 19 into the top 39 of the outer container The hole is closed by a loose-fitting plug 42. The plug 42 is sufficiently loose that steam between the outer container and the inner container can escape.

Within the space 44 between the inner container 4d and the outer container 35 there is disposed an electrical heating element 45. The heating element is supported from the end wall of the outer container 35, and, electrical connections are made in the junction box at. Mounted immediately above the junction box 46 is a thermostatic control unit 43 which includes a pair of thermostat: one bulb-type thermostat is on the end of a tubev 5d, and the bulb 49 is mounted inside the inner container to indicate the temperature of the treatment liq rid; the other is here shown as a bimetallic element 51 disposed within the heat exchange liquid in the space 4- and acts as a safety. It will be noticed from FIGURE 4 that the two thermostats 4-9 and 51 are in series electrically.

Also in the box is a pair of valves 54- and 55. The valve 5a is attached to a drain pipe 56 to drain the heat exchange liquid from the space 44, while the valve 55 is attached to a pipe 56 to drain the treatment liquid from the inner container ill.

The inner container has a liner so which is made of a non-beat conducting material such as wood or plastic. The liner so is made of open struts to allow the treatment liquid to contact the heated surfaces of the inner container 49; but, the struts are sufficiently close together to allow a hand or foot to rest on the struts and not contact the heated surfaces of the container 4%. The liner as has the bottom at thereof spaced above the bot 35 tom of the container 49 and supported by cross-pieces 62 to decrease the danger of portions of the body contacting the container itself. Small parts of the body, such as the phalanges, can easily slip between the struts of the bottom 61; but, the space gives a measure of safety.

It will thus be seen that the device of the present invention provides an improved bath for physiological heat treatment. In use, a heat exchange liquid such as water is poured into the space 44 through the hole 41; and, the treatment liquid, such as parafiin and oil, is placed in the inner container 40. The circuit is connected to a source of electrical power through conventional means, and the desired temperature is set for the thermo stat 49.

The heating element 45 will now heat the water and transmit the heat to the treatment liquid in the container 449 until the thermostat 49 indicates that the temperature is sufiiciently high, at which time the heating element is cut oil. If the Water gets too hot, the thermostat 51 will cut off the heating element.

When the treatment liquid is hot enough, a person can put the atllicted limb into the bath, resting on support 25 for comfort.

Valves 54 and 55 allow the bath to be drained for cleaning and changing the liquids.

'The bath of the present invention is simple and easy to use, and is accurately controlled so that it will not inadvertently become too hot. The fact that the temperature sensing 'bulb is spaced from container Walls al lows it to indicate the temperature of the liquid itself rather than the walls.

It will of course be understood that the device here presented is by way of illustration only, and is meant to be in no way restrictive; therefore, numerous changes and modifications may be made, and the full use of equivalents resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A bath for physiological heat treatment comprising an outer container, a cabinet, said outer container being received in said cabinet and insulated therefrom, an inner container disposed within said outer container and spaced therefrom, said inner container being constructed of a heat conducting material, a liner positioned within said inner container formed of open struts of a non-heat conducting material, heating means placed between said outer container and said inner container, and thermostatic control means to control said heating means including a sensing element attached to said liner; a first drain means arranged to drain said outer container including a first drain pipe having a first valve selectively to close said first drain pipe, and a second drain means arranged to drain said inner container including a second drain pipe having a second valve selectively to close said second drain pipe.

2. A bath for physiological heat treatment comprising an outer container, a cabinet, said outer container being received in said cabinet andinsulated therefrom, an inner container disposed within said outer container and spaced therefrom, said inner container being constructed of a heat conducting material, a liner positioned within said inner container formed of open struts of a non-heat conducting material, heatingmeans placed between said outer container and said inner container, said heating means being an electric immersion heater, thermostatic control means to control said heating means, said thermostatic control means having two sensing elements connected in series: a first sensing element disposed in said inner container and attached to said liner; a second sensing element disposed between said outer container and said inner container, a top on said cabinet having an opening to give access to said inner container, 21 support ad- 'justably mounted on said top adjacent said opening, said support being removable from said top, and a cover which is receivable on said cabinet to close said opening in said top.

References (Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,026 Kerstetter July 4, 1905 2,463,329 Stansbury Mar. 1, 1949 2,623,449 Losee Dec. 30, 1952 2,769,564 Hoggren Nov. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 163,895 Germany Oct. 25, 1 905 101,511 Switzerland Oct. 16,1923 

1. A BATH FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL HEAT TREATMENT COMPRISING AN OUTER CONTAINER, A CABINET, SAID OUTER CONTAINER BEING RECEIVED IN SAID CABINET AND INSULATED THEREFROM, AN INNER CONTAINER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OUTER CONTAINER AND SPACED THEREFROM, SAID INNER CONTAINER BEING CONSTRUCTED OF A HEAT CONDUCTING MATERIAL, A LINER POSITIONED WITHIN SAID INNER CONTAINER FORMED OF OPEN STRUTS OF A NON-HEAT CONDUCTING MATERIAL, HEATING MEANS PLACED BETWEEN SAID OUTER CONTAINER AND SAID INNER CONTAINER, AND THERMOSTATIC CONTROL MEANS TO CONTROL SAID HEATING MEANS INCLUDING A SENSING ELEMENT ATTACHED TO SAID LINER; A FIRST DRAIN MEANS ARRANGED TO DRAIN SAID OUTER CONTAINER INCLUDING A FIRST DRAIN PIPE HAVING A FIRST VALVE SELECTIVELY TO CLOSE SAID FIRST DRAIN PIPE, AND A SECOND DRAIN MEANS ARRANGED TO DRAIN SAID INNER CONTAINER INCLUDING A SECOND DRAIN PIPE HAVING A SECOND VALVE SELECTIVELY TO CLOSE SAID SECOND DRAIN PIPE. 